Members of Canada's Olympic women's soccer team react in disbelief both to the officiating and to their 4-3 loss to the United States in Monday's semifinal game. The women will battle France for the bronze on Thursday.Tanley Chou, Getty Images
/ Vancouver Sun

Christina Pedersen of Norway officiates during the women's semifinal soccer match between the U.S. and Canada Monday. Her questionable delay-of-game call drew the ire of the Canadian team and its fans.Andrew Yates, AFP, Getty Images
/ Postmedia News

LONDON — Now that they’re safely removed from the scene of the crime, the American women’s soccer team say they’ve forgotten about their epic semifinal battle with Canada and they’re now consumed with preparing for Japan and Thursday’s gold-medal game.

“What’s done is done,” said American star Abby Wambach.”I can’t speak for the referee. I don’t care how we got here. Our focus is entirely on the gold-medal game.”

Well, maybe not entirely.

Two full days after the Americans beat the Canadians 4-3 in a game that is already being billed as the greatest match in women’s soccer history, the defending Olympic gold medalists allowed there was still some hard feelings lingering from the semifinal.

In Canada, there’s lingering bitterness over a pair of calls from referee Christiana Pedersen — one for delay of game on Canadian goalie Erin McLeod, which led to a free kick from just outside the box; another, seconds later, for a hand ball that led to Wambach’s game-tying goal with just over 10 minutes left in regulation.

But the Americans have their own take on the game. Thursday, in a press conference that was supposed to advance the gold-medal game, they accused Canada of dirty tactics and said the Canadians tried to slow their team down by being overly physical.

And one other thing. They Americans aren’t particularly pleased with Canada’s Melissa Tancredi who — they allege — stomped on the head of Carli Lloyd in the second half. Apparently, that’s against the rules in soccer.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the replay,” said Lloyd. “As it was happening in the game, I just thought someone accidentally stepped on me. When I saw that, I couldn’t believe it. I hope actions are taken.”

“I think for the most part it was two teams going after what they really wanted,” said American midfielder Megan Rapinoe, who scored twice against the Canadians before Alex Morgan scored the game-winner in injury time of extra time. “But it crossed the line a few times. I think that’s pretty obvious.”

As for Pedersen?

“You’re not going to get the calls every game,” said Lloyd. “There were things on both sides that could have gone either way."

Still, it said something about the scope of the Canada-USA semifinal that it was still being discussed the day before a gold-medal game that carried some juicy storylines of its own. Last July, with the horror of the tsunami still hanging over their country, Japan came from behind twice in the World Cup final before defeating the Americans 3-2 in a shootout.

The Japanese fell to third in the world rankings this summer but, in the Olympic tournament, they’ve flexed some of their old muscle, beating Brazil in the quarter-final and France in the semis.

They meet the Americans at Wembley on Thursday night. A crowd in excess of 83,000 is expected, the largest to see a women’s soccer game.

“It was something of paramount importance,” Japanese coach Norio Sasaski said through an interpreter. “Our athletes were able to demonstrate the greatness of the sport. A year ago was a very difficult time for our country and we gave encouragement to the people of Japan.”

They now hope to do the same thing in London.

“I’ve always thought about gold,” said Japanese star Aya Miyama. “I haven’t thought of any other colour.”

“We have great respect for each other,” said Wambach. “You’ll see none of that [dirty play on Thursday]. It will be beautiful soccer and legends will be made.”

ewilles@theprovince.com

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